Monday became our favorite day of the offseason as Northeastern dropped the numbers for all incoming players as well as number changes for returning players on social media. As statistics and program history nerds we love Numbers Day to see what numbers come back into circulation for use, how long it’s been since they were used, and what numbers are being worn for the first time ever. As always, this article is purely for fun related to the number assignments. Scouting reports and projections will come out next month as part of our annual New to Northeastern series.
Returning Players
#3 Amine Hajibi– The electric fan favorite changes out his 33 from his freshman season to only a singular 3 on his back, the same number he wore with Cedar Rapids prior to his enrollment. The number was previously worn by Nolan Hayes, former NHLers Jayden Struble and Josh Manson, and Hajibi is the first forward to wear it since Ryan Ginand, ’09.
#8 Matthew Perkins– For his final season of college hockey Perkins switches from 51, which he was the first Husky to ever wear, to The Ocho, vacated after James Fisher transferred to St. Lawrence. He will be the second Vancouver draft pick in the last decade to wear #8 at Northeastern after Adam Gaudette wore it for three years 2015-2018.
#9 Tyler Fukakusa– The Huskies’ second line center is coming off an excellent first year in Hockey East where he wore number 91, the second player to ever wear it. He switches to one of the most popular numbers in hockey, taking 9 after Noah Jones swapped his number for this season. Fukakusa will be the fourth player in four years to wear #9 for NU; Ryan McGuire and Matt Choupani wore it before Jones.
#22 Giacomo Martino– The reigning Italian Stallion switches from 15 to 22, the same number he wore for Sioux City in the USHL prior to enrolling at Northeastern. 22 was of course worn by Vinny Borgesi for four years, and Martino is the first forward to wear 22 since Tanner Pond, ’17.
#33 Noah Jones– The aforementioned Jones switches from 9 to 33 for his sophomore season, the same number he wore for Omaha in the USHL for two years prior to his collegiate enrollment. Prior to Hajibi, 33 was worn by goalie TJ Semptimphelter, Devon Levi for his injured freshman year, and by our research Jones is the first defenseman to wear it since Jack Celata (2002-03).
#70 Matthew DellaRusso– The third goalie in the rotation for the Huskies also switches his number after freshman year, going from 35 to being the first player in program history to wear #70.
Incoming Players
#4 Alex Pineau– The former captain of the Brown Bears is transferring to Northeastern for his senior season, and will have a new number in addition to a new logo on his sweater. Formerly #3 at Brown, he takes the jersey number vacated by Dylan Compton’s transfer to Wisconsin. He’s the third transfer defenseman to wear #4 in the last four seasons, after Pito Walton, ’24, and Jake Boltmann, ’25.
#5 Joel Kjellberg– Coming in after two seasons at Arizona State where he wore #7, Kjellberg comes to Boston and assumes the vacated number of Jack Henry, who transferred to Union. 5 has a long history of success at Northeastern, including being worn by NHLers Hunter McDonald, Ryan Shea, and Matt Benning in the last decade.
#10 Trey Jefferis– The Pennsylvania native enrolls after three seasons in Sioux City where he also wore #10 there. Ethan Fredericks’ transfer opened the number up for Jefferis.
#13 Charlie Pardue– A transfer from Notre Dame, Pardue will join a small list of players to wear 13 at Northeastern, taking up the mantle after Dylan Hryckowian signed with the Dallas Stars. He will be only the ninth player in program history to wear it. Pardue wore #3 at Notre Dame last year.
#15 Marcus Kearsey– The first player on this list to enroll from the CHL, Kearsey comes to Northeastern after a standout career in Charlottetown of the QMJHL. He wore 7 for the Islanders and now takes up Martino’s vacated 15, becoming the first defenseman to wear that number for NU since Aaron Toews (1996-98).
#18 Liam O’Keeffe– The final member of the 2026-27 Northeastern hockey roster, O’Keeffe joins the Huskies after a year in the NAHL for Lone Star where he wore #3. 18 was last worn by James Fisher during his freshman year, Andy Moore his freshman year, and then defenseman Tyler Spott before them.
#23 Dawson Sharkey– Another QMJHL product, Sharkey comes to Northeastern after a standout career for Newfoundland and Acadie-Bathurst. The Dallas Stars draft pick wore 81 last year for the Regiment, obviously occupied at Northeastern by Jacob Mathieu, so instead opts for bringing 23 back after a year out of circulation. Ben Poitras wore it for his lone year at Northeastern in 2024-25. Other notable 23s in Northeastern history include NHLer Michael Kesselring and fan favorite Colton Saucerman.
#37 Sam Caulfield– The Needham native joins the roster after a split season between the USHL’s Chicago Steel and the QMJHL’s Baie-Comeau. He dons #37, the third goalie in a row to wear it and the first since Grant Riley in 2023-24. Former goalie Chris Rawlings also wore 37, as did former forward and now-head coach of Harvard Rob Rassey.
#44 Owen Keefe– The son of head coach Jerry Keefe, Owen will be the first Husky to wear 44 since former captain Dax Lauwers, ’15. He wore 44 last year in his lone year in the QMJHL with Drummondville and wore it with Sioux City while playing in the USHL too.
#49 Jordan Tourigny– One of the top scoring defenseman in the QMJHL over the last half decade, Tourigny comes to Northeastern fresh off a QMJHL championship with Chicoutimi, and a marvelous career with Shawinigan before being traded. He will be the first 49 in program history, the same number he wore in juniors.
#88 Miguel Marques– A transfer from Maine, Marques comes to Boston after an excellent first year of college hockey up north. The former Nashville third rounder will be the first player in program history to wear 88, and only the second player to wear a number in the 80s after Mathieu became the first last year. He wore 43 at Maine last year.
#91 Noah Laberge– The final member of the incoming class, Laberge comes to Northeastern after a stellar year with Newfoundland in the QMJHL, and Acadie-Bathurst before them. The former fifth round pick of the Buffalo Sabres dons #91 at Northeastern, taking it from Tyler Fukakusa’s vacancy, and is the third player to wear 91 after Robbie Vrolyk, ’13, was the first.
A new roster and new number assignments means hockey is just around the corner- we are under two months away from opening night against Bentley. We will have our New to Northeastern series out in September as always to introduce these new players to readers and fans, and we hope to have our annual preseason interview with Coach Keefe as well.
As always, go Huskies!